Regulation

New Regulations Place 400,000+ Miles of Gas Gathering Pipelines Under Federal Oversight

Historically, gathering lines have been lower-pressure, lower risk lines typically situated in rural areas. With the increase in fracking over the last 15 years, the volume of gas extracted and transported through gathering lines has increased significantly.

US Unveils Crackdown on Methane from Oil and Gas Industry

The Biden administration unveiled a plan to slash emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from oil and gas operations, drawing cautious support from both environmental groups and drillers.

Congress Puts Big Oil in the Hot Seat in Climate Deception Probe

The U.S. Congress opened a year's worth of investigations into whether Big Oil deceived Americans about its role in climate change, with Democratic lawmakers planning to grill the chiefs of four oil companies and two lobby groups.

Russia Using Gas to Bully Moldova, Says EU

The European Union's top diplomat said on Thursday that Moscow was using natural gas to bully Moldova, as the prime minister of the ex-Soviet republic said the country could not afford the prices Russia was now offering.

Democrats Scramble to Salvage US Methane Fee Proposal

Democrats are considering paring down a proposed methane fee on United States oil and gas producers as a way to pacify opposition to the idea from within its own ranks.

Panel Favors Equitrans in EQT PA-WV Hammerhead NatGas Pipe Dispute

U.S. pipeline company Equitrans Midstream Corp said an arbitration panel ruled in its favor in a dispute with EQT Corp over the delayed startup of the Hammerhead natural gas pipe in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

FERC Chairman Urges Northeast Generators to Buy Fuel Before Winter

Glick told utilities to line up fuel supplies because the Northeast does not have enough gas pipeline capacity for both heating and power generation on the coldest days.

German Regulator in Touch with Nord Stream 2 Over Certification Issues

Germany's energy regulator said on Friday that it is in touch with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline consortium and expects it will provide assurances that the project meets the regulator's requirements.

Sources: US Slowing Down Oil and Gas Mergers

Regulators have extended the approval process for at least five oil and gas mergers and acquisitions in the last three months, as President Joe Biden's administration scrutinizes deals in a bid to tackle soaring energy prices.

Enbridge Briefly Shut Down Line 5 After Protesters Tampered with Pipeline

Enbridge Inc. shut down its Line 5 oil pipeline for several hours on Tuesday after protesters trespassed onto a facility in Michigan and tampered with the pipeline, an Enbridge spokesman said on Wednesday.

Greens Co-Leader: Germany Must Resist Russian 'Blackmail' Over Pipeline

The co-leader of Germany's Green Party accused Russian "blackmail" of causing high energy prices across Europe, saying Moscow is trying to leverage Germany to allow the Nord Stream 2 Baltic gas pipeline to begin operations.

Supreme Court Refuses Stay Request for Spire Missouri NatGas Pipe

Spire has warned that the shutdown of the 65-mile (105-km) pipeline could cause gas outages for as many as 400,000 in St. Louis this winter.

Brazil's Petrobras Agrees to Pay 1.4 Billion Reais for 2000 Oil Leak

Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras said it has agreed to pay 1.4 billion reais ($254 million) to settle three civil suits relating to the leak of an oil pipeline in southern Brazil in 2000.

FERC Blesses MVP’s Use of Trenchless Technology

The Mountain Valley Pipeline cleared its latest federal regulatory hurdle when FERC said in an environmental assessment that the trenchless technology MVP plans to use when crossing water bodies met with FERC’s approval.

Top Federal Appeals Court Raps FERC’s Knuckles

FERC received new legal leverage from a top federal appeals court to do a more thorough job calculating greenhouse gas emissions and effects on minority communities for liquefied natural gas and pipeline construction applications.

Germany Seeks Competition Assurances Over Nord Stream 2 Gas Link

Germany's energy regulator said the pipeline must show it would not break competition rules by limiting which suppliers used it and could face a fine if it started pumping Russian gas to Germany without securing approvals.

Russia's Gazprom Starts Transport Gas Via TurkStream, Awaits Nord Stream 2 Approval

Russia's Gazprom said it has started transporting gas to Hungary and Croatia on Friday via the TurkStream pipeline.

U.S. Awards $98 Million in Grants to Support Pipeline Safety Efforts

PHMSA announced it is awarding $98.8 million in grants to states, territories, and tribes to help enhance pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs at the community level for 11 different safety programs.

EU Lawmakers Back Clampdown on Potent Greenhouse Gas Methane

The European Parliament's environment committee on Tuesday rallied behind EU plans to make companies and countries cut their methane emissions.

PennEast to End Development of Pennsylvania-New Jersey Natural Gas Pipeline

PennEast Pipeline said on Monday it would cease development of the natural gas pipeline it had proposed to build from Pennsylvania to New Jersey in part because the project has not yet received all the required permits.

Perspective: How Soon Could Carbon Capture Solve Industry CO₂ Shortages?

It may seem surprising that CO₂ – the greenhouse gas heating our world – also keeps certain essential industries functioning. How can there be a shortage of something we’re desperately trying to emit less of?

Summit Midstream Partners Plead Guilty in Largest U.S. Inland Spill from Oil Drilling

Pipeline operator Summit Midstream Partners pleaded guilty in federal court in Bismarck, North Dakota, to criminal water pollution charges stemming from what prosecutors call the largest-ever land-based spill from oil drilling.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline, Southwestern Energy Announce Methane Emission Reduction Plan

Tennessee Gas Pipeline, a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, and Southwestern Energy announced the initiation of a responsibly sourced natural gas strategic agreement, which should further reduce methane emissions across the natural gas value chain.

Tribes Say Dakota Access Oil Pipeline's Environmental Review is Biased

Native American Tribes including the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe told the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the environmental study on Dakota Access oil pipeline is biased and urged the Biden administration to bring in the U.S. Interior Department.

Dakota Access Pipeline Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Scrap Environmental Study Order

Dakota Access asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit whether the largest pipeline out of the North Dakota oil basin requires additional environmental review.

Perspective: 30% Methane Emissions Cuts Crucial, and Can Pay for Itself

Cutting methane emissions is a big deal for efforts to slow climate change – and for health. While methane isn’t as abundant as carbon dioxide, it’s a far more potent greenhouse gas at warming the planet and a source of unhealthy air pollution.

UK has Plans to Protect Consumers from Soaring Gas Prices – Business Minister

Britain has plans in place to protect the market and consumers from soaring global gas prices, business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said on Sunday following a meeting with the head of energy regulator Ofgem.

Group of EU Lawmakers Seeks Probe of Gazprom's Role in Gas Price Surge

A group of European Parliament lawmakers has asked the European Commission to investigate Gazprom's role in soaring European gas prices, saying the company's behavior had made them suspect market manipulation.

Enbridge Fined $3.32 Million for Failings in Line 3 Replacement Project

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fined Enbridge Inc. $3.32 million, citing the Canadian company's failure to follow environmental laws during the construction of its Line 3 oil pipeline replacement.

Manufacturers Urge DOE to Require Reduction in LNG Export Rates

The Industrial Energy Consumers of America sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Energy to take immediate action to prevent a supply crisis and price spikes for consumers this winter.